1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having an authentication capability.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional image forming apparatuses such as a printer, copier and the like generally have a use restriction mode. In the use restriction mode, a user inputs the user code in the image forming apparatus, and the image forming apparatus authenticates the user and allows the user to use the image forming apparatus if the user is authenticated. In addition, the use restriction mode is also provided in an image forming apparatus that includes functions of a copier, a printer, a facsimile, a scanner and the like in a cabinet.
In addition, a method is widely used in which a key card, a prepaid card, a coin lack, a card reader or the like is connected to the image forming apparatus, so that the image forming apparatus releases use restriction when a card is set or a coin is thrown in and the image forming apparatus can perform billing management.
There are various objectives for performing the use restriction according to activities of corporate sections and the users. Thus, it is required to quickly provide an image forming apparatus that includes functions for performing use restriction and billing management suitable for user's objectives.
However, the conventional authentication method is realized by providing an authentication capability in system software that is unchangeably provided in the image forming apparatus. Thus, it is difficult to quickly customize an authentication capability in the image forming apparatus in response to a user's demand.
In addition, depending on change of the objective of the use restriction or the billing management, there may be a case where the method of the use restriction or the billing management should be changed. Thus, it is required to change the method of the use restriction or the billing management quickly. However, by adopting the authentication capability that is embedded in the system software, it is difficult to change the authentication capability that is only a part of the system software since the change may affect largely other functions that should not be changed in the system software.